Let us recall what we saw in chapter 5.
Adonai outlined all that He had done for His people. But despite all His protection and provision, they had ignored His commandments and had sunk into a sorely depraved state. This caused Him great anguish, but judgment was unavoidable. The prophet had noted in the first five chapters the terrible sinful condition of Judah in his time and the need for someone to warn of the impending judgment.
Outline of Chapter 6.
In chapter 6, Isaiah goes back to explain how he became the person to take the warning to Judah; how he was called to be the Lord’s prophet.
He tells us of the vision he received. But first, he sets the historical context (v1); “In the year that King Uzziah died” (740 BC). Uzziah had been one of the better kings of Judah. But pride had tarnished the final years of his reign (2 Kings chapters 14 and 15; 2 Chronicles chapter 26).
Verses 2 – 5 describe the vision received by Isaiah. The first part of which was to prepare him for his calling to address Judah’s social ills and to give warning of its consequences. Isaiah would have to proclaim coming judgment.
Adonai gave Isaiah a vision of His majestic holiness. In the vision the seraphim proclaim Adonai to be “Holy, holy, holy”, i.e. more holy than the holiest.
This overwhelming vision from Adonai, so shakes Isaiah that he fully appreciates his own sinfulness. This leads him to the place of confession. He is so painfully aware of his own sin that he is a broken man.
Isaiah’s need for personal cleansing mirrors the nation’s need for cleansing. As Adonai was willing to cleanse Isaiah, He would have cleansed the nation had there been repentance.
In verses 6 – 8, Isaiah receives cleansing. Only then did he receive his calling, and immediately he was willing to respond to any commission; “Here I am, send me.”
He was given the not very promising task of speaking to a people who would not listen. Nevertheless, he went into it with his eyes open and in the knowledge that in the fullness of time there would be restoration.
Verse 1.
“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple.
So, in verse 1, Isaiah goes back in time, as it were, to recount how his ministry began. This ministry would lead him to prophesy about the sorry state currently existing in Judah (chapters 1 – 5) and the future consequences.
The country was affected by the Syra–Ephamite wars which threatened Judah, followed by the rising menace of Assyria. The country reached a new low in the reign of King Ahaz (735 – 720 BC).
Isaiah’s calling starts with a vision of the Holy One of Israel on His throne in the heavenly palace. The Lord Himself is sitting on the throne which is “high and lifted up”; greatly elevated emphasising the eternal, sovereign and universal rule of the Most High Adonai. He is high above all kings and angels. Such is His majesty that the “train” (hem or fringe) of HIs robe “filled the temple”; the heavenly temple that completely transcends the earthly.
Isaiah’s vision is very reminiscent of what John saw.
Revelation 4: 2.
“Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.”
Verses 2 and 3.
“Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings; with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.
And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!”
Isaiah’s vision of the heavenly throne room continues.
Seraphim are serving Adonai. They are an order of angelic beings whose behaviour in adoration and service contrasts markedly with the people of Judah. These seraphim know that in the presence of Adonai there is no room for pomp or reason for pride: they just serve.
The description of these seraphim is not dissimilar to the “living creatures” described in Revelation 4 and the “cherubim” of Ezekiel 10.
The “living creatures” of Revelation also had six wings. The role of the six wings of the seraphim is described by Isaiah. Two wings covered their faces because they dared not stare at the face of Adonai. Two covered their feet acknowledging their lowlines. These four wings related to worship; emphasising the priority of praise. With the two other wings, they flew about serving the One on the throne.
They “cried to one another”, singing praises. The threefold repetition on “holy” (called the trisagion) is a constant refrain from these seraphim indicating that the transcendence of Adonai is indescribable. It indicates His separateness and independence. In Revelation, the trisagion is uttered by the four living creatures.
“The whole earth is full of His glory” could be rendered “the fullness of the earth is His glory”. The earth is like a display case showing the immeasurable glory, perfection and attributes of Adonai. All of this is seen in HIs creation and these latter words emphasise His closeness to His creation; an intimate involvement with the earth and its people.
Romans 1: 20.
“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead …”
We know that the glory of Adonai transcends the universe.
Psalm 113: 4 –5.
“The Lord is high above all nations, His glory above the heavens. Who is like the Lord our God, who dwells on high.”
Verses 4 and 5.
“And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of Him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.”
The shaking and smoke symbolise the holiness of Adonai and relates to judgment.
Exodus 19: 16 – 17.
“Then it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the trumpet was very loud, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled.”
If even the doorposts of the heavenly temple shook in response to Adonai’s holiness, how much more will the whole earth shake when the Lord returns.
Matthew 24: 29 and 30.
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven …”
The vision which Isaiah experienced gave him a deep conviction of his own sin. He realized that he was a sinful man among a sinful people. The society in which he moved was the reverse of the society in which Adonai dwelt.
Confronted by this vision from Adonai, Isaiah concluded that he was under judgment; “I am undone”. He probably thought that he had come to the end of his life. The holiness of Adonai showed him his unworthiness and that he was deserving of judgment.
Amid this heavenly scene, Isaiah realized he was the only one in this setting who was not giving praise to Adonai: “I am a man of unclean lips.” If the lips are unclean, so is the heart.
Isaiah’s deep conviction of his sinfulness brought him to the place of confession which others had known or would know.
Job 42: 6.
“Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”
Luke 5: 8. The words of Peter after the Lord’s miracle of the fish.
“Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”
Isaiah realized that he has seen the Holy One of Israel. Before whom no-one can stand.
Verses 6 and 7.
“Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth with it, and said: “Behold this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged.”
Isaiah had been broken by this vision from Adonai and the realization of his own sin. After confession and repentance, he could be cleansed for service. He was being prepared to receive his commission.
The “live coal … from the altar” applied to his mouth symbolized the purification of the blood and the fire of the Spirit which would enable the newly appointed prophet to speak. Repentance is painful and no doubt the hot coal added to his pain!
The fact that a coal from the altar was used reminds us that all sin is forgiven because of sacrifice. The ultimate sacrifice of course coming from the Lord Yeshua.
Isaiah had his own personal “day of atonement” before the Lord. His “iniquity is taken away”. These words allude to the scapegoat on which the sins of the people were placed before it was driven out into the wilderness.
Isaiah’s sin was “purged” (i.e., covered “kaphar”) and is the same work translated “atonement”. (Strong’s 3722). We see here spiritual cleansing for special service not actual salvation.
Verse 8.
“Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”
We have seen that Isaiah’s confession was immediately followed by repentance. Only then did he hear the call of Adonai.
There is some disagreement among commentators about to whom the “Us” refers to here. Some see Adonai and all the host of angels, whilst others assume that the tri-une Godhead is intended. It seems difficult to argue conclusively either way.
We can see Isiah’s immediate response to the call: “Here I am! Send me.” Though profoundly aware of his past sin, he was only too willing. This response reflects his humble readiness to undertake any task required of him. This came from a grateful heart. He wanted to serve Adonai who had forgiven him.
He may however have taken a little more time for thought, if he had known the nature of the errand he had volunteered for!
Verses 9 and 10.
“And He said, “Go, and tell this people: “Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.”
Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy. And shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and return and be healed.”
Isaiah was to declare the word of Adonai to a people who would be blind and hardened through the rejection of his message. The failure of the people was to be further evidence against them. The real beneficiaries would be future generations.
These verses do not describe the goal of Isaiah’s ministry, but the inevitable result with the people he was addressing in his lifetime. These people were so hardened in the ways, and so persistent in the perversions, as to be irredeemable.
Only the humble would understand Adonai’s message. To the majority, Isaiah’s ministry was one of condemnation; a savour of death.
Only a dedicated prophet would undertake such a discouraging task. For Isaiah, like Jonah (although for a different reason), the failure of his task would have been welcomed.
Verses 11 and 12.
“Then I said, “Lord, how long?” And He answered: “Until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitant, the houses are without a man, and the land is utterly desolate, the Lord has removed men far away, and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land.”
It is debateable whether Isaiah’s question of “how long?” refers to himself (how long he must continue his fruitless mission), or to Adonai’s wrath (how long will Adonai’s judgment on the people continue).
Because Isaiah’s prophecy will not be received in his lifetime, it seems likely that his message is for the benefit of future generations.
Adonai’s reply demonstrates that this situation will continue until the nation is taken into captivity by the Babylonians. “Removed men” and “forsaken places” describe the desolation that will follow the successful Babylonian invasion. This will be a very serious judgment: “cities laid waste”, “the land utterly desolate” and the people taken into exile.
Verse 13.
“But yet a tenth will be in it, and will return and be for consuming, as a terebinth or as an oak, whose stump remains when it is cut down, so the holy seed shall be its stump.”
Verse 12 speaks of “men removed far away”. Verse 13 speaks of a “tenth” (a remnant) returning. However, these returning exiles will face further trouble; “will return and be for consuming”. We see their situation in the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah.
The “stump” (the faithful few) will produce the “holy seed”. This is like the living stump of a great tree that survives after the rest of the tree has been destroyed.
Isaiah 11: 1.
“There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of its roots.”
For Adonai cannot deny the people He has chosen.
2 Timothy 2: 13.
“If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.”
Ultimately, the “holy seed” would usher forth the “Beautiful Branch” (the Messiah).